Advanced blow-out preventer

Abstract

An advanced blowout preventer that includes an arrester section and a shear section. The arrester section includes a number or arrester rings that are shaped to extend downwardly. The shape of the arrester rings allows the force of gas flowing out of the well to assist in closing the rings. The arrester section may have a number of arrester rings that cooperate to significantly reduce fluid from flowing in the annulus between a section of drill pipe and the blowout preventer. The advanced blowout preventer may also include a shear section. The shear section is configured to engage and shear a section of pipe using induction.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An advanced BOP configured to restrict flow through a conduit that extends longitudinally, the advanced BOP comprising:
 an arrester section including:
 a first arrester having blades that are hingedly coupled to a sidewall of the conduit and moveable between a retracted position and an extended position in which flow through the conduit is more restricted than when the blades are in the retracted position, each of the blades
 (1) having a first end and a second end, the first end being disposed longitudinally above the second end when the corresponding blade is in the retracted position, and (2) being hingedly coupled to the sidewall of the conduit at a location on the corresponding blade that is closer to the first end than to the second end; and 
 
 a motor connected to the first arrester and configured to move the blades between the retracted position and the extended position in response to the motor being energized. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The advanced BOP of  claim 1 , wherein the blades extend downward towards a wellhead and inward towards an interior portion of the conduit, when the blades are in the extended position. 
     
     
       3. The advanced BOP of  claim 2 , wherein at least some of the blades include vents configured such that fluid that flows through the conduit flows through the vents past the blades when the blades are in the extended position. 
     
     
       4. The advanced BOP of  claim 3 , wherein each of the vented blades includes veins disposed within the blade and configured to direct a fluid to at least some of the vents. 
     
     
       5. The advanced BOP of  claim 3 , wherein the arrester section includes a second arrester positioned in fluid communication with the first arrester. 
     
     
       6. The advanced BOP of  claim 5 , wherein:
 the second arrester includes blades that are moveable between a retracted position and an extended position in which flow through the conduit is more restricted than when the blades of the second arrester are in the retracted position; and 
 at least some of the blades of the second arrester include vents configured such that fluid that flows through the conduit flows through the vents of the second arrester past the blades of the second arrester when the blades of the second arrester are in the extended position. 
 
     
     
       7. The advanced BOP of  claim 6 , wherein the vents of the first arrester define a first vented area, the vents of the second arrester define a second vented area, and the first vented area is larger than the second vented area. 
     
     
       8. The advanced BOP of  claim 1 , wherein, for each of the blades, when the blade is in the extended position, the blade overlaps an adjacent one of the blades. 
     
     
       9. The advanced BOP of  claim 1 , further comprising a shear section and a gripping section, the gripping section being positioned between a well head and the shear section, the shear section being positioned between the gripping section and the arrester section. 
     
     
       10. The advanced BOP of  claim 9 , wherein the gripping section includes pipe gripping blades that are moveable between a retracted position and an extended position in which the pipe gripping blades extend upward away from the wellhead and inward toward an interior portion of the conduit. 
     
     
       11. The advanced BOP of  claim 9 , further comprising a seal section positioned above the shear section and configured to seal the conduit. 
     
     
       12. The advanced BOP of  claim 1 , wherein the blades are configured such that, when fluid flows through the conduit, the fluid applies pressure to the blades such that the blades are urged toward the extended position. 
     
     
       13. The advanced BOP of  claim 1 , wherein the motor is connected to the first arrester such that:
 when the motor is energized, the motor maintains the blades in the retracted position; and 
 when the motor is de-energized, the blades move from the retracted position to the extended position. 
 
     
     
       14. An arrester section configured to restrict flow through a conduit, the arrester section comprising:
 an arrester including:
 blades that are moveable between a retracted position and an extended position in which flow through the conduit is more restricted than when the blades are in the retracted position, at least some of the blades include vents configured such that fluid that flows through the conduit flows through the vents past the blades having the vents when the blades are in the extended position; and 
 
 a motor connected to the arrester and configured to move the blades between the extended position and the retracted position. 
 
     
     
       15. The arrester section of  claim 14 , wherein the motor is connected to the arrester such that:
 when the motor is energized, the motor maintains the blades in the retracted position; and 
 when the motor is de-energized, the blades move from the retracted position to the extended position.